Neum

Neum

Neum is the only town situated along Bosnia & Herzegovina’s 20 km (12 mi) of coastline, making it the country’s only access to the Adriatic Sea. Neum is 60 kilometers from Dubrovnik and 70 km from Mostar and Međugorje. Neum is an ideal and inexpensive holiday spot for fun and the sun. Neum features steep surrounding mountains, pebbled beaches, clear waters and several large tourist hotels and private apartments to rent.

Stretching around 5km along a narrow bay, Neum is layered steeply down to the shore, with dense construction as viewed from the highway. The closed bay at Neum is protected from the strong open sea winds by the Peljesac Peninsula, and wonderfully calm. Scuba-diving, parasailing, boating and jet skiing can all readily be arranged in any of the major hotels.

However, there’s a certain charm to the narrow concrete promenade that wends between rustling conifers and tight-packed apartment terraces. Many metal-handled steps allow swimmers access into crystal-clear waters as though into a swimming pool.

Prices tend to be lower than in neighboring Croatia, making it popular with shoppers. Neum is not famous for its beaches. The beaches are largely pebbled, or concrete slabs, lined on one side by pineapple-shaped palms and typically packed with lounger chairs.

Neum has around 5,000 beds for tourists, 1,810 in hotels with the remaining capacity in motels, villas, and in private accommodation. The inland area behind Neum has a rich archeological history and untouched wilderness and is starting to develop eco tourism.

The vast majority of Neum’s hotels and restaurants close from October to April. Neum is one of the most popular locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina during summer, having intercity connections to more than 20 cities in the country and international bus connections to Germany (Munich, Dusseldorf, Hamburg), Sweden (Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö), Croatia (Zagreb, Rijeka, Slavonski Brod) and 9 more European countries.

The road from Stolac to Neum, a newly built highway, was recently opened by the federal prime minister, Fadil Novalić. You can read more about that here.